Release Cornealious Michael Anderson III From Prison

Cornealious "Mike" Anderson is 36 years old, a married father of four, youth football coach, volunteer, homeowner and small business owner in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1999, he was arrested and later convicted of participating in a robbery of a Burger King manager. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison. He was released on bail while his appeals were pending, and after he lost his appeals, the State of Missouri simply forgot about him. They never told him to report to prison to serve his sentence.

When he was arrested, he was 22 years old, had no children, was not married, and did not own a home or a business.

From 1999 to 2013, he lived a law-abiding life, paid taxes, and worked to build a career as a carpenter. He never became a fugitive, tried to change his identity, or flee from justice. He had no further trouble with the law. He stayed right in St. Louis. He got married, had 4 children, built his own home in Missouri, and started several successful small businesses, including a contracting business. He volunteered at his church and coached his son's youth football team.

In July, 2013, the State of Missouri suddenly realized, 13 years later, that Mike Anderson had never served the sentence, and that he was out on bail this entire time. They raided his house with a SWAT team, and ripped him from his home without warning, hauled him off to prison, and told him he now had to serve 13 years in prison.

If he is required to serve the sentence, he will be 50 years old when he is released. His kids will have grown up without a father, his wife will have had to raise 4 children alone, and they will lose their home and business - everything he had worked so hard to attain in the last 13 years of leading a normal life.

The victim of the robbery believes that Mike Anderson should not be forced to now serve a 13- year sentence, and believes the State of Missouri dropped the ball. He has said that he believes it would serve no purpose in now incarcerating this man.

I am representing Mike Anderson in his petition for release from prison. Join us in petitioning the Attorney General of the State of Missouri and Mississippi County Judge T. Lynn Brown to release this man from this unjustice.